Watts to head Aussie assault at world championships

COMMONWEALTH Games gold medallist Shelley Watts heads a small, but strong Australian team heading for the AIBA Elite Women's World Championships in South Korea.

The championships start in Jeju tomorrow, with head coach Kevin Smith confident his team would perform well.

"The world championships is the pinnacle," Smith said.

"We are sending a team that we believe is capable of providing Australia with its first medal since 2002 (Desi Kontos at 2002 World Championships in Turkey)."

New South Wales boxer Watts, will fight in the 60kg division and will be joined in the five-strong squad by Victoria Lauren Camilleri in the 48kg weight division and two-time Australian champion Kristy Harris at 51kg.

Queenslander Cherneka Johnson will fight in the 54kg division, while Kaye Scott, the 2014 Australian champion from Hornsby in New South Wales, will compete in the 75kg category.